The new tennis-themed romantic comedy "Wimbledon" stars two players, one at the end of his game and one at the beginning of hers.
At the prime of his career, Peter Colt (Paul Bettany) was ranked 11th in the world. But that was nine years ago and now he is preparing to finish his career at Wimbledon. On center court stands Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst), the young up-and-comer who has attained a reputation for focusing solely on the winning shot. Amid the strawberries and cream and all the white uniforms, Peter and Lizzie hit an ace and each discover something unexpected at Wimbledon.
"Wimbledon" is a categorical romantic comedy, but surprisingly finds its strengths in character portrayal and development. Unlike many other romantic comedies, "Wimbledon" manages to tell the story from the male perspective. In this case, he needed rescuing. Peter gains our trust through his quick wit and sincerity. He courts the audience within the first five minutes and as a result, he ends up carrying the movie.
Dunst plays the more powerful of the two characters. She breaks the mold of romantic comedy heroines by being the more dominant character in the relationship. This is refreshing for an audience used to a reversal of gender roles, with the man as the catalyst and the more dominant character.
The story relies on a third character: tennis. Tennis brings them together physically and emotionally. It successfully unites the diverse characters beyond Peter and Lizzie. Tennis provides so much of the emotional highs and lows of the movie because it is a game of one on one and a game that has a winner and a loser. The focus was not on the fine tennis skills of each of the characters, but they were still convincing competitors.
Amid all the serves and volleys, the humor is a mixture of Bettany's British wit and Dunst's sharp American retorts. The humor plays a significant role in winning over the audience. It provides comic relief in the arena of a sport that requires a serious attitude to win. Unique camera angles and effects add to the complexity of the movie.
The two tennis pros win us over in finding a place on the court and in our hearts. With the help of the diverse comedy and the believable romance, "Wimbledon" succeeds in providing the audience with a few tears and a big smile.
